Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator having an ice making device. The refrigerator includes a body having a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, and an ice making compartment, an ice making device arranged in the ice making compartment, to produce and store ice, an outlet formed through the ice making compartment, to introduce cold air into the ice making compartment, and at least one inlet formed through the ice making compartment, to discharge the cold air from the ice making compartment. The outlet is arranged at a rear side of the ice making compartment, and the inlet is arranged at a front side of the ice making compartment, so that it is possible to achieve a smooth circulation of cold air in the ice making compartment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. P2006-76461 filed on Aug. 11, 2006 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates to a refrigerator. More particularly, to a refrigerator having an ice making device.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional refrigerator includes a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, into which cold air heat-exchanged at an evaporator is introduced, and a machinery compartment arranged at a rear side of the freezing compartment or refrigerating compartment beneath the freezing compartment or refrigerating compartment, to install a compressor and a condenser. In such a conventional refrigerator, the refrigerating compartment stores food in a fresh state at a temperature of about 3 to 5° C., and the freezing compartment can store food in a frozen state at a sub-zero temperature for a prolonged period of time.

Another refrigerator includes an upper compartment functioning as a refrigerating compartment, to store beverage or foods to be stored for a short period of time, and a lower compartment functioning as a freezing compartment. A refrigerator also includes an ice making device provided with a dispenser arranged at a front side of a door of the ice making device, in order to allow the user to conveniently take ice out of the ice making device.

An example of such a conventional refrigerator is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0090496. The disclosed refrigerator includes a lower compartment functioning as a freezing compartment and an upper compartment functioning as a refrigerating compartment. An ice making region is defined at an upper or lower corner of the refrigerating compartment.

When the ice making region is defined at a lower corner of the refrigerating compartment, an opening for introducing cold air into the ice making region is formed directly through a partition wall for partitioning the refrigerating and freezing compartments. In this case, however, there is a problem in that it is impossible to achieve smooth circulation of cold air. This is because the opening formed, as mentioned above, not only functions to introduce cold air from the freezing compartment into the ice making region, but also functions to discharge cold air from the ice making region into the freezing compartment, thereby causing the flow direction of cold air to be non-uniform.

On the other hand, when the ice making region is defined at an upper corner of the refrigerating compartment, an air duct for guiding cold air to the ice making region is connected to a rear side of the ice making region. In this case, cold air is introduced into and discharged from the ice making region through the rear side of the ice making region. For this reason, there is interference between the introduced cold air flow and the discharged cold air flow. Due to such interference, it is impossible to achieve smooth circulation of cold air for an ice making operation.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a refrigerator having a structure capable of achieving a smooth circulation of cold air for an ice making operation.

Additional aspects and/or advantages will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a refrigerator including a body having a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, and an ice making compartment, the refrigerator further including an ice making device arranged in the ice making compartment, to produce and store ice, an outlet formed through the ice making compartment, to introduce cold air into the ice making compartment, and at least one inlet formed through the ice making compartment, to discharge the cold air from the ice making compartment, wherein the outlet is arranged at a rear side of the ice making compartment, and the at least one inlet is arranged at a front side of the ice making compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the at least one inlet includes a plurality of inlets, and one of the inlets is arranged at a rear side of the ice making compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the body includes a supply passage connected with the outlet, to guide cold air to the ice making compartment, and a return passage connected with the inlet, to discharge the cold air out of the ice making compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the supply passage and the return passage communicate with the freezing compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the return passage includes a first return passage buried in one side wall of the body, and a second return passage buried in a rear wall of the body.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the first and second return passages are joined at an upper portion of the rear wall of the body, and then extend to the freezing compartment.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a refrigerator including a body having a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, and an ice making compartment, the refrigerator further including an ice making device arranged in the ice making compartment, to make and store ice; and an inlet and an outlet formed through the ice making compartment, to introduce cold air into the ice making compartment and to discharge the cold air from the ice making compartment, respectively, wherein one of the inlet and the outlet is arranged at a front side of the ice making compartment, and the other of the inlet and the outlet is arranged at a rear side of the ice making compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the outlet is arranged at a rear surface of the ice making compartment. The inlet is arranged at one side of a front surface of the ice making compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the inlet includes a plurality of inlets, and one of the inlets is arranged at the rear surface of the ice making compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the body includes a first return passage buried in one side wall of the body. The first return passage communicates with the inlet arranged at one side of the front surface of the ice making compartment, to discharge cold air out of the ice making compartment. The body also includes a second return passage buried in a rear wall of the body. The second return passage communicates with the inlet formed at the rear surface of the ice making compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the first and second return passages are joined at an upper portion of the rear wall of the body, and then extend to the freezing compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention in an opened state of a refrigerating compartment door;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A′ in FIG. 1 in a closed state of the refrigerating compartment door of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B′ of FIG. 1 in the closed state of the refrigerating compartment door of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an ice making compartment included in the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an ice making compartment included in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an ice making compartment included in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an ice making compartment included in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention in an opened state of a refrigerating compartment door. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A′ in FIG. 1 in a closed state of the refrigerating compartment door of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B′ of FIG. 1 in the closed state of the refrigerating compartment door of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a body 10. The body 10 comprises a refrigerating compartment 20 defined at an upper portion of the body 10, a freezing compartment 30 defined beneath the refrigerating compartment 20, and an ice making compartment 40 defined above the refrigerating compartment 20 by insulating walls 41. The refrigerator also comprises doors 21 and 31 respectively arranged at front sides of the refrigerating and freezing compartments 20 and 30, and an ice making device 50 arranged in the ice making compartment 40, to produce and store ice.

The refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention also comprises elements for constituting a refrigerant cycle, for example, a compressor 12, a condenser (not shown), an expander (not shown), and evaporators 23 and 33.

Electric or mechanical elements are arranged in a machinery compartment 11 defined in a lower portion of the body 10 at a rear side of the body 10. For example, the compressor 12 is installed in the machinery compartment 11. The freezing compartment 30 is arranged above the machinery compartment 11. The refrigerating compartment 20 is arranged above the freezing compartment 30. The refrigerating compartment 20 and freezing compartment 30 are partitioned by a horizontal partition wall 13. A foam 14 is filled in a space defined between inner and outer cases 10 a and 10 b of the body 10, in order to achieve thermal insulation.

A freezing compartment door 31, which is of a sliding type, is provided at a front side of the freezing compartment 30. A pair of refrigerating compartment doors 21, which are of a side-by-side type, are provided at a front side of the refrigerating compartment 20.

The doors 21 and 31 comprise door handles 21 a or 31 a, respectively. Receiving spaces 21 b are provided at an inner side of each refrigerating compartment door 21. A dispenser 22 is mounted to an outer surface of the left refrigerating compartment door 21, to dispense ice made by the ice making device 50. A cup lever 22 c is provided at the dispenser 22, to open a damper 22 b provided at an outer end of an ice discharge passage 22 a.

The refrigerating compartment 20, which is defined at the upper portion of the body 10, includes a first evaporator 23 arranged at the rear side of the refrigerating compartment 20, to generate cold air to be supplied to the interior of the refrigerating compartment 20, a refrigerating space 24 for storing food, etc., a refrigerating duct 25 partitioning the refrigerating space 24 from the first evaporator 23, and circulating cold air heat-exchanged at the first evaporator 23 into the refrigerating space 24, and a first blowing fan 26 arranged in the refrigerating duct 25, to forcibly circulate the cold air.

A first inlet 25 a is formed at a lower portion of the refrigerating duct 25, to guide cold air from the refrigerating space 24 toward the first evaporator 23. A first blowing port 25 b is provided at an upper portion of the refrigerating duct 25, to discharge cold air introduced through the first inlet 25 a into the refrigerating space 24 after being subjected to heat exchange while passing the first evaporator 23. The first blowing fan 26 is arranged at the first blowing port 25 b, in order to forcibly supply the heat-exchanged cold air to the refrigerating space 24.

An appropriate number of spaced first outlets 25 c are formed at a front side of the refrigerating duct 25 such that the cold air emerging from the first blowing port 25 b by the first blowing fan 26 is discharged into the refrigerating space 24 in a uniformly-distributed manner. A refrigerating flow passage 25 d is defined in the refrigerating duct 25, to guide the cold air introduced through the first blowing port 25 b to the first outlets 25 c.

Accordingly, the cold air present in the refrigerating space 24 flows toward the first evaporator 23 through the first inlet 25 a. After being subjected to heat exchange while passing the first evaporator 23, the cold air is introduced into the refrigerating flow passage 25 d via the first blowing fan 26. The cold air introduced into the refrigerating flow passage 25 d is discharged into the refrigerating space 24 through the first outlets 25 c. Thus, the circulation of cold air in the refrigerating compartment 20 is carried out in a closed circulation manner. Accordingly, the cold air present in the refrigerating compartment 20 is introduced into neither the freezing compartment 30 nor the ice making compartment 40. Similarly, the cold air present in the freezing compartment 30 or ice making compartment 40 is not introduced into the refrigerating compartment 20.

The freezing compartment 30, which is arranged beneath the refrigerating compartment 20, comprises a second evaporator 33 arranged at the rear side of the freezing compartment 30, to generate cold air to be supplied to the interior of the freezing compartment 30, a freezing space 34 for storing food, etc. in a frozen state, a freezing duct 35 partitioning the freezing space 34 from the second evaporator 33, and circulating cold air generated in accordance with heat exchange carried out by the second evaporator 33 into the freezing space 34, and a second blowing fan 36 arranged in the freezing duct 35, to forcibly circulate the cold air.

A second inlet 35 a is formed at a lower portion of the freezing duct 35, to guide cold air from the freezing space 34 toward the second evaporator 33. A second blowing port 35 b is provided at an upper portion of the freezing duct 35, to discharge cold air introduced through the second inlet 35 a into the freezing space 34 after being subjected to heat exchange while passing the second evaporator 33. The second blowing fan 36 is arranged at the second blowing port 35 b, in order to forcibly supply the heat-exchanged cold air to the freezing space 34.

An predetermined number of spaced second outlets 35 c are formed at a front side of the freezing duct 35 such that the cold air emerging from the second blowing port 35 b by the second blowing fan 36 is discharged into the freezing space 34 in a uniformly-distributed manner. A freezing flow passage 35 d is defined in the freezing duct 35, to guide the cold air introduced through the second blowing port 35 b to the second outlets 35 c.

As described above, the ice making compartment 40 is defined above the refrigerating compartment 20 by the insulating walls 41. In the ice making compartment 40, the ice making device 50, which produces and stores ice, is arranged. The ice making compartment 40 are arranged at one side of an upper or lower portion of the refrigerating compartment 20. The following description will be given in conjunction with an embodiment in which the ice making compartment 40 is arranged at an upper corner of the refrigerating compartment 20.

The ice making compartment 40 is arranged at the upper corner of the refrigerating compartment 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the ice making compartment 40 comprises an upper surface defined by an upper surface 20a of the refrigerating compartment 20, and a lower surface defined by the insulating wall 41, which is horizontally protruded from one side surface of the refrigerating compartment 20 in the form of a structure integral with the side surface of the refrigerating compartment 20. Also, one side surface of the ice making compartment 40 is defined by the side surface of the refrigerating compartment 20. The other side surface of the ice making compartment 40 is defined by the insulating wall 41 which is downwardly protruded from the upper surface 20a of the refrigerating compartment 20.

An outlet 42 is formed at a rear surface 44 of the ice making compartment 40, to introduce cold air into the ice making compartment 40. An inlet 43 is formed at one side of a front surface of the ice making compartment 40, to discharge the cold air introduced into the ice making compartment 40 toward the second evaporator 33. In order to achieve a smooth circulation of cold air in the ice making compartment 40, the inlet 43 is open in a flow direction of the cold air discharged from the outlet 42. That is, the main stream of the cold air discharged from the outlet 42 reaches the inlet 43 after flowing in a specified direction. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent cold air flows from interfering with each other, and thus to achieve a smooth circulation of cold air.

In order to cause the cold air discharged from the outlet 42 to flow toward the inlet 43 after passing a lower portion of a tray 51 c included in the ice maker 51, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the inlet 43 is not arranged near a front end of the tray 51 c, but is arranged at one side surface 45 of the ice making compartment 40 in a front region of the ice making compartment 40. The tray 51 c will be described in detail later.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an ice making flow duct 60 is provided at the body 10 of the refrigerator, to circulate cold air through the ice making compartment 40 and second evaporator 33. The ice making flow duct 60 is arranged in the rear wall of the body 10 between the inner case 10 a and the outer case 10 b. The ice making flow duct 60 is fixed to the rear wall of the body 10 by filling a foam 14 into a space defined between the ice making flow duct 60 and the rear wall of the body 10.

The ice making flow duct 60 comprises a supply duct 61 for guiding, to the ice making compartment 40, cold air subjected to heat exchange while passing the second evaporator 33, and a return duct 62 for guiding the cold air present in the ice making compartment 40 to an inlet side 33 a of the second evaporator 33.

The supply duct 61 comprises a first end connected with the outlet 42 open to the ice making compartment 40. A third blowing fan 63 is arranged at a second end of the supply duct 61 arranged above the second evaporator 22, to forcibly supply, to the ice making compartment 40, cold air subjected to heat exchange while passing the second evaporator 33. The third blowing fan 63 is arranged adjacent to the second evaporator 33.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the third blowing fan 63 comprises any one of a cross-flow fan and an axial flow fan. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a cross-flow fan 63 a is used for the third blowing fan 63. The third blowing fan 63 comprises a fan casing 63 b for guiding cold air.

Cold air emerging from the second evaporator 33 after being heat-exchanged is introduced into the ice making compartment 40 via the supply duct 61 and outlet 42 by the third blowing fan 63. Thus, cold air is supplied to the ice making device 50 arranged in the ice making compartment 40. The cold air supplied to the ice making compartment 40, as described above, is sucked into the inlet 43 formed at one side of the front surface of the ice making compartment 40, and is subsequently guided to the inlet side 33 a of the second evaporator 33 via the return duct 62. Thus, the cold air is circulated after being heat exchanged. In accordance with such a circulation procedure, a smooth circulation of cold air is achieved. Accordingly, cold air heat-exchanged at the second evaporator 33 is rapidly supplied to the ice making compartment 40.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ice making device 50 included in the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, further comprises an ice bank 52 arranged beneath the ice maker 51, to store ice separated from the ice maker 51, an auger 53 arranged in the ice bank 52, to move the ice stored in the ice bank 52 to the dispenser 22, and an ice crusher 54 arranged at an end of the auger 53, to selectively crush ice in accordance with a user's desire.

The ice maker 51 comprises a water supply pipe 51 a for supplying water. The tray 51 c, which is also included in the ice maker 51, is formed with a plurality of ice receiving spaces 51 b in which water is stored and frozen. The ice maker 51 further comprises an ice separating member 51 d for separating ice from the ice receiving spaces 51 b, and a drive motor 51 e for driving the ice separating member 51 d.

The ice maker 51 extends considerably in a depth direction of the ice making compartment 40. Also, the tray 51 c of the ice maker 51 is fixed to the upper surface of the ice making compartment 40. Thus, it is possible to reduce the volume of the ice making device 50 installed in the ice making compartment 40.

The ice bank 52, which is arranged beneath the ice maker 51, stores ice separated from the tray 51 c of the ice maker 51. The auger 53, which is arranged in the ice bank 52, comprises a spiral shape. Accordingly, as the auger 53 rotates, the ice stored in the ice bank 52 is moved to the dispenser 22.

The ice crusher 54 which is mounted to the outer end of the auger 53 to crush ice, comprises a fixed blade 54 a and rotating blades 54 b. Accordingly, the ice crusher 54 can feed ice cubes or ice particles to the dispenser 22 through the ice discharge passage 22 a in accordance with a user's selection.

Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the following description, the same constituent elements as those of the above-described embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals, respectively, and no description thereof will be given.

In the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the ice making compartment 40 comprises an outlet 42 formed at one side of the front surface of the ice making compartment 40 and connected to the supply duct 61, to supply cold air to the ice making compartment 40, and an inlet 43 formed at a rear surface of the ice making compartment 40 and connected to the return duct 62, to guide cold air from the ice making compartment 40 to the inlet side 33 a of the second evaporator 33.

Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the following description, the same constituent elements as those of the above-described embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals, respectively, and no description thereof will be given.

In the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, an ice making device 50 is arranged in the ice making compartment 40, as shown in FIG. 6. An outlet 42 is formed at an upper side of the rear surface of the ice making compartment 40. A first inlet 43′ is formed at one side of the front surface of the ice making compartment 40. A second inlet 43″ is also formed at a lower side of the rear surface of the ice making compartment 40.

The outlet 42 communicates with the supply duct 61 connected to the freezing compartment 30 at one side of the supply duct 61, to supply cold air from the freezing compartment 30 to the ice making compartment 40. The inlets 43′ and 43″ communicate with a return duct 62′ connected to the freezing compartment 30 at one side of the return duct 62′, to discharge, to the freezing compartment 30, cold air passing a lower portion of the ice maker 51.

The return duct 62′ comprises a first return duct 62 a′ buried in one side wall of the body 10 and directly connected to the first inlet 43′ formed at one side of the front surface of the ice making compartment 40, and a second return duct 62 b′ buried in the rear wall of the body 10 and directly connected to the second inlet 43″ formed at the lower side of the rear surface of the ice making compartment 40.

The first return duct 62 a′ extends to the rear wall of the body 10 along one side wall of the body 10, and then extends toward the freezing compartment 30 after being joined with the second return duct 62 b′ at an upper portion of the rear wall of the body 10.

Since the supply duct 61 and return duct 62′ (62 a′ and 62 b′) are buried in a foam, the insulation thickness at regions, where the supply duct 61 and return duct 62′ are arranged, may be reduced. To this end, in order to minimize such an insulation thickness reduction, it is preferred that the supply duct 61 and return duct 62′ have a reduced lateral length, namely, a reduced width, and an increased vertical length, namely, an increased height.

In a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, the return duct 62, which is connected with the inlet 43 provided at one side of the front surface of the ice making compartment 40, extends downwardly in a state of being buried in one side wall of the body 10.

Although the refrigerator, in which evaporators are provided at refrigerating and freezing compartments, respectively, has been described, the present invention is also applicable to a refrigerator comprises a single evaporator installed in a refrigerating compartment or freezing compartment. Also, the present invention is applicable not only to a bottom freezer type refrigerator including an upper compartment functioning as a refrigerating compartment and a lower compartment functioning as a freezing compartment, but also to a top freezer type refrigerator including an upper compartment functioning as a freezing compartment and a lower compartment functioning as a refrigerating compartment and a side-by-side type refrigerator including freezing and refrigerating compartments respectively defined at opposite sides of a refrigerator body.

As apparent from the above description, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an inlet and an outlet, which function to introduce cold air into an ice making compartment and to discharge the cold air from the ice making compartment, respectively, are open in a flow direction of the cold air. Accordingly, there is an effect capable of achieving a smooth circulation of cold air in the ice making compartment.

Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A refrigerator comprising a body defined with a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, and an ice making compartment, the refrigerator comprising: an ice making device arranged in the ice making compartment, to produce and store ice; an outlet formed through the ice making compartment, to introduce cold air into the ice making compartment; and at least one inlet formed through the ice making compartment, to discharge the cold air from the ice making compartment, wherein the outlet is arranged at a rear side of the ice making compartment, and the at least one inlet is arranged at a front side of the ice making compartment.
 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the inlet comprises a plurality of inlets, and one of the inlets is arranged at the rear side of the ice making compartment.
 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the body comprises a supply passage connected with the outlet, to guide cold air to the ice making compartment, and a return passage connected to the inlet, to discharge the cold air out of the ice making compartment.
 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the supply passage and the return passage communicate with the freezing compartment.
 5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the return passage comprises: a first return passage buried in one side wall of the body; and a second return passage buried in a rear wall of the body.
 6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the first and second return passages are joined at an upper portion of the rear wall of the body, and then extend to the freezing compartment.
 7. A refrigerator comprising a body defined with a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, and an ice making compartment, the refrigerator comprising: an ice making device arranged in the ice making compartment, to produce and store ice; and an inlet and an outlet formed through the ice making compartment, to introduce cold air into the ice making compartment and to discharge the cold air from the ice making compartment, respectively, wherein one of the inlet and the outlet is arranged at a front side of the ice making compartment, and the other of the inlet and the outlet is arranged at a rear side of the ice making compartment.
 8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the outlet is arranged at a rear surface of the ice making compartment, and the inlet is arranged at one side of a front surface of the ice making compartment.
 9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the inlet comprises a plurality of inlets, and one of the inlets is arranged at the rear surface of the ice making compartment.
 10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the body comprises: a first return passage buried in one side wall of the body, the first return passage communicating with the inlet arranged at one side of the front surface of the ice making compartment, to discharge cold air out of the ice making compartment; and a second return passage buried in a rear wall of the body, the second return passage communicating with the inlet formed at the rear surface of the ice making compartment.
 11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the first and second return passages are joined at an upper portion of the rear wall of the body, and then extend to the freezing compartment. 